Hi all, I had my double project out to the range yesterday testing 500 gn cast and 500 XLC loads. They both seemed to shoot into the same groups. I don't have sights on it yet, but just sighted down the rib and was able to get 1 1/2" groups. The two barrels are shooting about 12" apart though, with the right hitting left and the left hitting right. I'll try turning down the muzzle end of the barrels and shimming inside the shotgun barrels to see if I can get them shooting straight. If that doesn't work, I'll try the monoblock route.
My problem now is that after I got home, I took it all apart for inspection and noticed the stock is starting to crack. It is running verticaly from the front down to about the first action screw hole. I took some pics, but they don't show the crack. My camera doesn't do well with closeup shots. I do have a pic that shows the shape of the action, the boss on the trigger group and the inletting of the stock.


Any thoughts on how to repair/ reinfore this area? I was thinking about putting a crossbolt through the stock infront of the first action screw. Then inletting behind the trigger group boss and maybe installing some brass pillars through the action screw holes.
What kind of crossbolt would work well? I was thinking of makeing one from steel or brass and epoxying a threaded dowl in the stock, then have two screws clamp in from either side. What size would work? #10, 1/4-20? Does Brownells acraglass work well for glueing all the parts in and the stock back together? Should I make some reliefs across the crack and glue in some screws? Any thoughts here?

I reattached the rear claw-mount base (previously spldered)on a SXS double rifle with Acraglas Gel in 1988, and it is still holding! It should do for repairing your stock, also.

Lar45,
If your stock has the depth you could use a 10-32 machine screw with the nut on it. Just take out enough material to set it in and clear out some extra where the screw head and the nut drop in. This remains hidden from the exterior of the stock and will do the same job as a manufactured cross bolt.
Best of luck,
Dave

I ordered some cross bolts and acraglass from Brownells. I was thinking about reinforceing the grip area. Maybe I could drill a 1/4" hole through the pistol grip area into the stock and acraglass a piece of allthread into it. I should be able to do it without it being seem from the outside. Would the internal crossbolt be as strong as an external one?

Lar,
I am not certain I would trust it. I restocked my 500 jeffe, with what in a lighter kicker (booter) would be salvagable.

send the pieces to www.gunstocks.com and have henry make you a turkish piece, that has the right lop and cast...

200-250 bucks..

then acra or steel bed the rear stock in...

jeffe

I'd follow 470 MBOGO's advice. Mill out the inside with a trusty dremel tool. Add a machine bolt and use steelbed in place of accraglass. It's a little stronger, you won't see it anyway and the release agent is really easy to apply. I'd also glass the tangs at the same time before they start to drive your stock apart!-Rob

I was going over the stock again looking for possible weak points to reinforce while it's apart. It looks like there is a flat recoil lug under the tang of the action. The mateing surface on the stock is rounded so I only gets pressure in the middle. I'm thinking I should use some steel bed to build this area up for a full contact surface. Should I make a square recess first, then put the steel bed in? or jus t build up around the rounded area?

my rule of thumb is if you can put steelbed in there, do it! Cheap insurance!-Rob